How to deal with PC version problems and tech -- the report form to follow for fastest responses

[Gorath_the_Elder]

How to deal with PC version problems and tech -- the report form to follow for fastest responses

                     Writing up Trouble Reports (NOT INCLUDING diluting this thread)

Welcome to the Mass Effect 2 PC Technical Discussion Forum.  Before you report a problem with your PC version of Mass Effect 2,  I recommend using a search engine like Google to see if someone has had a similar problem in the past and a solution has already been found.  

Add a redirect like this one  siteocial.bioware.com  for the much larger Social Network archive (avoid the "Search" tool there, it was created as a crippled, broken excuse, and never repaired).  

Do not overlook the pinned / stickied threads atop the forum index page at Social and in here.  Please bear in mind a key thing about this forum.  The EA staff (Moderators here) may try to address your issues, but they are not Official Techs; most of your posts will normally be addressed by your fellow game players; this forum is an UNOFFICIAL support system.  Here is EA's official support link:

https://help.ea.com/

You should contact EA Support for official matters.  Instructions on how to access Live Chat Support can be found here.  http://support.ea.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/75

If you're having problems, please do NOT reply to this topic itself.  Rather, please post a new topic in the forum, that includes your system hardware and OS information.  Thanks!
 
You must confirm that your system meets or exceeds the published minimum system specifications.

Mass Effect 2

[b]PC MINIMUM System Requirements[/b]
OS = Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7
Processor = 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD CPU
Memory = 1 GB RAM for Windows XP / 2 GB RAM for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Hard Drive = 15 GB
DVD ROM =  1x Speed  (??)
Sound Card = DirectX 9.0c compatible
Direct X = DirectX 9.0c August 2008 (included)
Input = Keyboard / Mouse
Video Card = 256 MB (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support). Supported Chips: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 or greater; ATI Radeon X1600 Pro or greater.  [i]Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 210, 310, 520, 7100, 7200, 7300, 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, 9100, 9200, and 9300; ATI Radeon X1300, X1550, HD3100, HD3200, HD3450, HD 3470, HD 4200, HD 4250, and HD4350 are below minimum system requirements (in some cases, also HD5450). Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required. Intel and S3 video cards are not officially supported in Mass Effect 2.[/i]

If you have been unsuccessful checking the archives, please mention that when you post your report.  Please start your own message, and reserve this thread to the discussion of the report FORM or purpose or necessity.  Here is the report form to follow.

1. What version of the game are you playing: physical disc or digital download (along with: "which vendor")?
      Configuration Utility | Game Tab
           * Version Information
2. System Details
      Configuration Utility | Summary Tab
           * Processor / Clock Speed / RAM
           * Display Adapter / VRAM / Driver Version
           * Sound Adapter / Driver Version
      Configuration Utility | Platform Tab
           * Operating System (and service pack, if applicable)
           * DirectX Version

In addition to using the game's own configuration software to collect data, if that utility is working, you can also use this reference:  "Get All the Details on the Hardware Inside Your PC"
http://www.pcworld.com/article/114741/answer_line_get_all_the_details_on_the_hardware_inside_your_pc...

Details about your problem.
1. What is the nature of the problem you are seeing?
      Example: No sound during a particular scene.
2. When did the problem start occurring?
      Example: Every time you perform a certain action, after a certain number of hours of play, after downloading the lastest DLC.
3. Where does your problem occur?
      Example: Is the problem happening for a specific scene, place, or throughout the entire game?
4. What are the steps in replicating the problem?
      As much as possible, try to describe exactly what you were doing when the problem occurred.
5. Have you modified your game in any way?

With credit to Pacifien for her version of this same announcement in the (BSN) ME2 Tech Forum, and please use standard business writing paragraph breaks, punctuation, and spelling  (and once again, do not add to this thread for anything other than how to report, what to report, and bumping to bring it to the top of the Index when necessary -- unless this ends up stickied on top, where it doesn't need to be bumped)

[holger1405 · Accepted solution]

@KibouSN

Do you use any mods?

Did you tried this solution?

[Gorath_the_Elder]

It's slipped nearly off the front page . .

[Gorath_the_Elder]

We are seeing more of the questions for which guides like these are intended, showing up around AHQ, so let's get this one back onto the top Index sheet again. 

[Gorath_the_Elder]

Pacifien's verion was prepared in an HTML editior, with graphics, examples, a complete tutorial approach.  It is located here:

http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/106/index/1537629

This version is straight text.  It is / was almost off the top index page already, though.

[thephantoml7ob]

Right before character creation in ME2 the loading screen with the x-ray of the skull and all the medical diagnostic things like heartbeat, blood level, etc. I get stuck in an infinite loading screen that just will not end. In the time while I let it load I was able to make lunch which had taken 45 minutes, walked my dog which was another 20, and do the dishes which took 10 but still the loading screen had not ended so if you could please come up with a solution that would be amazing. I have not edited the game in any way and all I did before that was play the intro normally.

[BIGmankevin]

So i accidentally bought a French version of Mass Effect 2 on ebay, game play is ok, graphic is smooth thank to my powerful pc

Yesterday, i have decide to buy 1600 BW point to spend on Mass Effect DLC, and buy the fire power pack, install it and start the game but then i got an error message ( see pic)

So what do i do now, do i just uninstall the French version go buy a US version of the game, or what?

[holger1405]

@BIGmankevin Well did you try to log into Cerberus network? Because in your screenshot you are not logged in.

[BIGmankevin]

Thank for the reply, but where do i go to log in?, a link would be good

[holger1405]

@BIGmankevin In Game. Look at your screenshot, right under the "OK" button is a "Connect" button on the "Laptop" There you can logon to the "Cerberus Network". 

[EA_David]

@BIGmankevin I think Holger's on the right track here. If you have issues logging in you might want to tab out to ensure that you're not missing any notifications. Perhaps the game is being blocked from communicating with the internet, which could be a factor for login issues. 

Thanks.